Page 10

I don’t know when I fell asleep, but I’m woken up as I’m tossed over the shoulder of a figure hooded in a black cloak.

Panic laces through every inch of my body as if I am doused in ice cold water.

I flail my arms and legs, kicking and punching as much as I can, screaming for someone to help me.

It’s only when no one answers that I realize the bus is empty.

When the figure carries me outside into the pitch black of the night, I notice we’re not at the barn anymore, we’ve moved. We’re now in the middle of the woods, only trees in every direction. My heart hammers inside of my chest faster than I can even think and I become dizzy with fear.

I’ve always had a deep disdain for the woods, nature’s very own shelter for shadows, an invitation to let your wildest imagination run free in the cloak of darkness. It’s a safe haven for the unusual, the rotten, the outcasts. The devil’s playground.

As the figure starts walking further from the bus, my survival instincts cut in. I thrash my body even harder than before, enough so that I drop onto the forest floor.

Sticks crack beneath me as I’m thrown to the ground, my breath ripped out from inside of me.

I can feel rocks scraping against the skin my dress doesn’t cover.

Immediately, I start scooting back as the figure looms forward.

I can’t see a face, his oversized hood covering most of it and a bandana covering the bottom half.

I’m so consumed by what’s in front of me, I don’t notice the other figures behind me.

I’m hauled up from underneath my arms and dragged backward deeper into the woods.

I dig my heels into the dirt, losing my sandals.

I can feel every cut against the soles of my feet, but the only thing I can think of is to get out of here.

Clearly, my dead weight isn’t enough to slow this guy down, so instead, I slam my head back, knocking it into the figure behind me.

He grunts dropping me and I use this moment to run.

I don’t know where I am going, I just know I need to get away from them.

I can hear footsteps close behind, but when I look, I can’t see anything.

My vision is blurry from the tears I haven’t had the time to let fall.

When I can’t possibly run another second, I stop, resting against a tree.

I take long, deep breaths to keep myself from hyperventilating, but I'm teetering on the edge. I’ve been running for what feels like ten minutes now and I can’t imagine they kept chasing me.

Especially in the dark. I suck in one last deep breath, finally slowing my heart rate enough to think straight, and step away from the tree.

I look around me and I feel like I’m exactly where I started, only I know I’m not.

The bus is nowhere in sight, and I can only see trees despite which direction I turn.

A renewed panic starts to take hold, being lost is a very real problem now.

I don’t have my cell phone on me, though I’m not sure how much help it would be considering I haven’t had signal since I left that Uber .

The cool night air expands my lungs, goosebumps breaking out all over my skin. I rub the cold from my arms as a shiver runs through my body. My feet ache, but my only choice is to keep walking until I find a clearing.

As I take a step forward, I’m suddenly yanked back by my hair. My back slams into a hard wall behind me. Though it’s warm, it doesn’t bring me any comfort. An arm wraps around my waist as my head is tugged tightly against the body.

“If you get lost out here, you will die.” A deep, raspy voice warns me. A voice I can only recognize as Khaos.

“If I don’t, I might die anyway.” I whisper.

“No Ashton, we’re not going to kill you.” He chuckles.

His hold loosens and I drop to my hands and knees, but his admission doesn’t lessen the fear coursing through me. I don’t believe that they’re just going to let me be after this, so I bolt.

I push myself as fast as I can go, in no particular direction, but it’s of no use.

I’m tackled to the ground, his body crushing mine.

My face plummets into the dirt, I can feel my skin scraping against the pebbles beneath me.

Khaos flips me over, so I’m facing him. He’s still pinning me down with his weight, restraining my wrists above my head.

A feeling I can’t quite understand washes over me. It’s a mixture of fear, hate, and something else I’ve never felt before... need? It warms me from the inside out, like liquid fire running through my veins, thawing the icy fear that’s held me in its grip tonight.

He holds me there for what feels like minutes, watching a deep flush color my face, neck and chest. His knee is resting between my thighs, snug against my center and a part of me wants so badly to move my hips just the slightest to see how it would feel.

When the wind blows, I can feel the dampness coating my panties.

As if he could read my mind, he looks down, my dress well above my hips at this point .

“Are you... turned on?” He asks, his voice breaking.

I shake my head no, but it’s a lie. I don’t understand what I’m feeling right now, but I’m sure as hell not going to entertain this with him of all people.

“I think you are, Eris.” Khaos challenges, calling me by a nick name I don’t understand.

Slowly, his hand creeps down my abdomen, passing over the hem of my panties, but before he finds what he’s looking for, I knee him in the stomach. I can hear the air leave him as he hunches and rolls over, freeing me from beneath his weight.

“Bad idea.” He growls, his hand darting out, gripping my ankle and bringing me down once again.

This time, he hooks his arms beneath mine and drags me backward for what seems like forever.

“Let me go!” I scream, my voice cracking from the strain.

I try everything, but Khaos is determined.

Light comes into view, and I can see three other cloaked figures in the shadows.

With one last haul, I’m tossed into the center of the four of them.

I’m surrounded by five torches, each one at the point of what looks like a pentagram drawn into the dirt, with me at the center.

“Kneel.” Khaos demands.

I’m not sure what else I can do at this point, but to just give him what he wants.

Maybe then this will all be over. I crawl onto my knees, my body slumped over and tears involuntarily breaking free.

A soft hum fills the silence of the night, haunting and low.

It’s the type of humming that you would only hear right before death.

A death I am sure would be coming for me soon.

“Look at me, Eris.” The deep command has my gaze lifting.

I stare at Khaos, hate and fear tearing me from the inside out. I’m gripped in such sickness I want to scream. He’s maddening and all I want is to claw that stupid mask off his face so I can look at him when I rip his eyes out.

The humming gets louder, infiltrating my bones, preparing me for the worst.

“My bandmates and I have seemed to come to a crossroads. They want you to stay, but I want you gone.” His words slam into me, one hateful syllable at a time.

Khaos inches closer, his figure coming into light when he steps into the circle. He crouches in front of me, lifting my chin to meet his covered face.

“So, instead, we’re giving you the choice. Are you staying or will you be heading back to Chicago?” He asks coldly.

Suddenly, I see what this is. It’s all a charade to scare me away. He doesn’t want me here, so he’s putting me through hell, giving me no other option but to run for my life. Only, I don’t plan to run. I plan on beating Khaos at his own game.

I narrow my eyes, a hatred seeping into my core, feeding a flame I didn’t know existed. “I’ll stay.”

Glowing golden eyes glower at me and I know I just gave him an answer he didn’t expect.

I taunt him with a smirk, his jaw grinding beneath his mask.

I watch his fists clench at his sides as he slowly nods, accepting my answer.

The old Ash would have been out of here the second she had the chance, but unfortunately for Khaos, he’s met the new Ash.

The one that takes risks and doesn’t back down on a challenge, no matter how insane.

“Suit yourself. Don’t ever say I didn’t warn you.

” Khaos turns his back only for a second and I watch as he lifts a metal bucket, a wet substance coats my hair, sliding down my shoulders and covering my dress.

When I open my eyes, I see red. Metal reeks from the thick liquid, causing my stomach to lurch.

I jump to my feet, too shocked to even scream .

The humming stops, only to be replaced with Khaos’ dark chuckle. I’m doused in what I think is blood and I’m mortified.

“There’s a hose in the back of the bus. Better wash off before you come inside.” Khaos snuffs out two of the torches, the others doing the same blanketing me in darkness once again.